After much trial and error I have gotten iPod to run new system software. I stumbled across Rockbox a few months back, but was turned off by the prospect of installing new software. I installed iPod Linux on my 4G iPod when it was unsupported and ended up bricking the thing. I took the warranty voiding plunge this weekend and was able to get Rockbox up and running alongside the iPod software.

But why use Rockbox when Apple’s software works fantastically? As with most open source software the answer is customization. Everything from scroll speed, display info, and themes are completely configurable. There are also formats not officially supported by Apple that can be played with Rockbox. Plus it makes people do a double take when they see your iPod running something different. If I need to I can switch back to the original iPod OS by holding down Menu + Select with the iPL Loader 2.4 bootloader package.

Installation is not for the faint of heart. It does require some work with Terminal line commands. The installation instructions leave something to be desired. It took some forum research and ingenuity to get it to work. I found it best to install Rockbox first and then skip the Rockbox bootloader installation which loads it by default. iPL Loader 2.4 is a seamless loader for the two firmwares.

Coming soon… Doom on iPod.